Separate Souls
by DemonUntilDeath
Summary: In a new mission, Shuichi and Youko are separated for seven days. After seven days, Koenma's spell ends. Only things become more complicated when Shuichi disappears. Warning: yaoi
1. The Beginning : A Party

**Disclaimer**: Hola. No tengo una anime (I don't think Spanish has a word for Anime…does it?) I hope I wrote that correctly...School got out a month ago, that means no more Spanish classes...

**Notes**: Yay, I'm back! Anyways, I know I have about seven other stories I'm still working on, but this one was making my fingers itch.

Alright, the way I picture the relationship of Shuichi/Youko is this:

Youko is a spirit inhabiting Shuichi's body. Therefore, when Shuichi is in control, he can hear Youko's voice and thoughts like you would hear your friend talking right next to you. Shuichi can talk back to him mentally or aloud, however for all purposes if Shuichi is in control, he'll be referred to as Kurama.

When Youko surfaces, they are switching places, and Shuichi becomes the inhabiting spirit (I have always thought of the transformation as a somewhat scientific metamorphosis involving blood and genes. 8) I'm weird like that) Therefore, Youko hears Shuichi's voice in the back of his head. And if Youko's in control, he'll be referred to as youko. Just to try not to confuse anyone...hopefully

When knocked out, they can form a mental image of themselves and talk that way, as if standing by one another. Also, I have always pictured Youko (after he became all sentimental and such) as an almost big brother/best friend to Shuichi, and comforting the human and such. In a way, I like to think that Youko is in love with Shuichi, but I don't like the whole split personality pairing thing.

So I leave it at Hiei/Kurama, but expressing that I think Youko grew to love Shuichi a bit more than a brother. However, I don't think they could be together like that simply because they are, really, one person when combined.

**Key**:

'Thoughts' 

:_Telepathy_ (Hiei) _or inner speech_ (Shuichi and Youko):

"Speech" (Hopefully everyone knew that)

o-o-o-o-o-

**_Separate Souls_**

**Chapter 1**

o-o-o-o-o-

Kurama slowly climbed the long, numerous steps that lead to Genkai's temple compound deep in the mountains. His lack of speed could be blamed on the large amount of wildlife, the fauna constantly calling for his attention.

After biding a bright tiger lily good day for the seventh time, as the small flower never seemed to shut up, Kurama let go of the healthy plant and continued up the steps.

"Now I remember why I take Hiei up on his offer for a race every time we come up here…" Kurama muttered to himself. He heaved a slight sigh as an oak tree's thick branches bent down to brush him with soft leaves.

_'At this rate, I'm not going to ever get up there.'_ Kurama greeted the oak with a happy façade but quickly bid it fair well with a light flare of his ki, feeding the plant with some energy.

Trying his best to ignore some of the lesser plants that called out to him, the fox finally made it halfway up the stairs.

"Just another half to go. Of course, the first half took twenty-five minutes but…" he muttered to himself with a softer sigh. A subtle thud beside him caught his attention.

"What? The great kitsune thief tired after a few stairs?" Kurama smirked and turned, tilting his head slightly.

"What with feeding all these talkative plants my energy I should be. Care to walk with me, Hiei?" The dark clad demon stepped from the shadows of the underbrush and canopy of growth.

"Have you forgot how to climb stairs?" Kurama laughed but just shook his head, giving a bright smile towards the fire demon.

With a light scowl that Kurama perceived as the mask to cover a smirk, the fire demon snorted his normal one syllable answer and moved over to the fox, already beginning to ascend the rest of the stairs.

"So, do you have any idea what's going on?" Kurama asked as he kept his eyes focused on the top steps, glancing briefly out of the corner of his eye. Hiei only shot him a potential glare and then shrugged.

"Some meeting or something. I don't keep tabs on Koenma_-sama_'s business." The rather sneered manner in which Hiei had formalized Koenma's name made it obvious that it was indeed another mission.

Kurama had received earlier word from Botan that Lord Koenma was gathering the tentai at the temple for some reason or another. Although a small bit of confusion had entered his mind and the ferry girl's obstinate _"You'll find out at the Temple_," but the lack of information did seem almost routine for the young godling.

Hiei glanced at the fox. "However, I don't believe it's anything that calls for immediate, life-threatening departure, if it helps you any."

Kurama gave a light smirk at the fire demon's words. He turned to Hiei, pausing on the small platform that separated sections of stairs. He shouldered his small duffle bag higher on his arm as the youkai paused beside him.

"Fox?" Hiei didn't get to finish the rest of his possible question as he found a pair of silky soft lips pressed against his own. The fire demon's eyes widened for a second before he growled deep in his throat.

Closing his eyes, he raised his hand to run sword-callused fingers over Kurama's soft cheek. He smirked against Kurama's lips as the fox's tongue prodded against his mouth, seeking permission to enter.

With a teasing hesitance that tortured Hiei as much as it did Kurama, the fire demon finally parted his lips. Shivers sprung down the fire demon's back as the fox gently caressed the inside of his mouth, leaving no part unexplored.

Kurama gasped, pulling back slightly in surprise, as Hiei's hand traveled down between his legs. The duffle bag slid off of his shoulder, hitting the stone floor with a soft thud. Hiei smirked as he began rubbing his thumb in circles, relishing in the moan that came from the fox's happy approval.

Kurama immediately delved back into Hiei's mouth, grasping at him with a heated passion. Slender hands crawled around the fire demon's waist, slipping under the black tank top that he wore.

Sudden reality hit the fox cruelly, however, when Hiei's hand slipped under the waistband of his slacks. He pulled away with a groan that matched Hiei's at the loss of heat.

"No…" Kurama muttered, as he dodged another attempted kiss. Hiei growled and released the kitsune's pants, grabbing both of Kurama's side locks to pull him down into another kiss that he couldn't avoid.

Kurama moaned into it, almost loosing control once again before he made a sad whining sound in the back of his throat, incredibly fox-like. He once again pulled away.

"No, no, no. Not here, Hiei," Kurama whispered as he fought against the fire demon, who was pulling him down in another try. "Someone might see."

Hiei snorted, not releasing Kurama's hair. "You're the one who kissed me, you baka kitsune."

"I know," the fox answered with a sigh, longing to capture Hiei in his arms yet again. "I know I did…I wasn't thinking."

"Then stop thinking now." Hiei gave his hair a fierce tug and Kurama yelped as the fire demon slid his tongue into his mouth.

"No," Kurama tried to mutter as the fire demon ravished his mouth. The fox finally pushed the fire demon gently but swiftly away, holding Hiei back by his shoulders.

Through his ragged breathing, the kitsune continued, "But I am thinking now. And we have a meeting to get to."He scooted closer to Hiei, leaning his forehead against the youkai's jagan. "I promise we'll continue later, alright?"

Hiei gave a growl but nodded, releasing the fox's hair resentfully. Kurama picked up his duffle back and threw the strap back over his shoulder. Hiei, who looked most annoyed, looked over at him as the fox slipped his hand in the youkai's bandaged fist.

"I promise Hiei, you'll forget all about this by the end of the night," Kurama whispered seductively. Within his own mind, Hiei smirked at the ideas and images created by the suggestion. However, he remained glowering externally.

"Oh, but I'm going to make you regret all this by the end of the night," he growled in reply. Kurama only smirked, though, as he squeezed Hiei's hand before releasing it.

"I'm looking forward to it." Hiei snorted and disappeared as Kurama made it up the last four steps alone.

_:As am I... That was a most excellent kiss, Shuichi. I have taught you well, grasshopper: _Youko's voice suddenly filled his head and Kurama smirked, shaking his head. As his feet gently touched the stone landing, though, he paused in sudden confusion.

The temple was completely quiet. No movement could be seen on the grounds except for the occasional twitch of a branch caused by the nesting birds. With a frown on his face, Kurama cautiously approached the temple.

Hiei had not mentioned any problems; in fact he had seemed most normal about the meeting.

_:So where is everyone: _Youko's thoughts floated over to him and he nodded, unsure as how to answer a question he too had been thinking.

Kurama calmly walked up the steps to the wooden porch structure surrounding the temple structure. As his eyes continued to survey the area, he slipped out of his shoes and gently pried open one of the sliding doors.

No one was inside the small tearoom. With one last glance back outside into the fall landscape, he closed the door silently and moved around the low table with all the stealth that Youko had taught him.

He slid open the next door, but the lack of life in the hall left him puzzled. Not calling out to alert any possible enemies, he stretched out his senses. What he found only deepened his frown.

Everyone was gathered in the grand statue room. Giving a light mental shrug and quietly shushing the dark thoughts of traps and attacks that Youko kept pushing at him, he made his way towards the statue room.

Still exercising caution, he slid the temple door open silently. His caution was blown out the window, however, as confetti was released just above the door, falling all around him.

Before he even had time to figure out what was going on, about ten people burst out from hidden locations shouting something that sounded similar to "Surprise" only gargled by the many unsynchronized voices.

_:What the hell: _Youko's confused voice filled his head.

Kurama broke into a laugh at the fox as Yusuke nearly tackled him, shoving him into the statue room. There were balloons of odds and ends hanging randomly all over the place. Kurama noticed with a chuckle that a bunch had been tied to look as if the statue of the angry war god was holding them.

_:It's called a surprise party:_ the boy laughed at the youko's sudden embarrassment at thinking that an attack might have been forming.

"So what's all this about?" Kurama asked everyone around him as Yusuke pushed him into a small crowd of people. Kuwabara was still blowing one of those loud noise makers, laughing even as his sister tried to pound his head in...or take the toy, Kurama couldn't be sure which she was trying to do.

"It's your birthday, of course!" Yusuke replied enthusiastically, giving the fox a doubtful look. "Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday!"

Kurama gave a chuckle as Keiko threw a bead necklace over his neck, laughing with Botan at the amount of confetti tangled in his red hair. "Of course I didn't forget...but one: how did you know and two: why such a big surprise?"

Yusuke seemed to ponder this for a second before he grinned a silly stupid smile. "Well, one: Hiei mentioned it and Koenma confirmed it. Two: because it's your nineteenth birthday!"

"Um, Yusuke," Kurama smiled but still seemed somewhat confused. "What's so special about nineteen?"

Yusuke seemed a bit stumped on this question, so Kuwabara shouted out from under the headlock his sister had him in, "It comes after eighteen!"

The raven-haired teen laughed and slapped Kurama on his back. "Exactly! It comes after eighteen. And that, alone, is reason to celebrate!"

Kurama only shook his head as Koenma rolled his eyes at his lead tentai, both wondering just how much Yusuke had already had to drink. As people wished him a happy birthday, and Yusuke started rounding people up for cake and ice cream and every other little snack and appetizer imaginable, Kurama slipped out of the group.

Looking around, he spotted Hiei sitting on the edge of the statue, arms crossed over his chest. Kurama smiled and walked over to him, resting his arms on the statue base and placing his chin on his hands.

"How did you know it was my birthday, Hiei?" he asked softly. The fire demon snorted.

_:You're birthday, maybe: _Youko's voice came through crude and annoyed. Kurama sighed inwardly.

_:Do you even know your birthday: _Only silence greeted that statement and Kurama smiled. _:I thought so. So enjoy mine as if it were yours. I'm offering it to you:_

_:Uh...thanks, I think: _Kurama turned his attention back to Hiei, as the fire demon was answering his question.

"Hn. Your mother threw you a party last year, or did you forget that along with your ability to climb stairs?" the youkai replied with a smirk. Kurama laughed quietly, covering his mouth politely.

When he lowered his hand, he was smiling softly at Hiei. "Thank you." With that he turned and started back to the table.

_:And we'll except your welcome in the form of hot sex:_

Kurama gave another sigh, this one exasperated. _:Do you **ever** think of anything else:_

There was a moment's of silence in which he could feel Youko contemplating that answer. _:...No:_

"Why am I not surprised?" Kurama whispered out loud as he walked back towards the others, who were already eating and talking about this and that. As Kurama walked away, he heard Hiei snort softly.

Kurama didn't turn as a single footfall sounded behind him. "You're welcome you baka kitsune, and if you stay up late enough you might get it in the form you want."

No second footfall accompanied the first as Hiei quickly flitted away, pausing long enough to speak his words before vanishing back into the night. He appeared for a split second behind the fox as this happened before disappearing again.

_:Ah, we have to wait till tonight:_ Youko's pouting came back to him, but Kurama could only smile: Hiei was not only growing in his psychic ability if he could read Youko's thoughts along with his replies, but he was also getting faster.

Shaking his head slightly, he walked up to Yusuke, who turned and practically shoved a fork full of cake down his throat.

o-o-o-o-o-

Yusuke and Kurama walked down the hallway, the darkness of midnight filled the temple. The detective smirked as he joked with the kitsune, who was warding off the resounding darkness with a candle.

"Man, I just know that I bought four things of ice cream," Yusuke swore, as he had been doing for the past five minutes. Kurama smirked.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Yusuke. Maybe Kuwabara or someone stole it earlier." Yusuke nodded but still seemed somewhat doubtful.

"Ah, anyways, have you seen Hiei? He missed out on the party," Yusuke said seemingly disappointed. Kurama shrugged.

"I believe he is asleep in one of the trees outside the temple," Kurama replied as he shifted the candle to avoid being burned by the dripping wax.

_:More like sitting with a devoured gallon of stolen ice cream:_ Youko muttered but Kurama could practically see his grin. Kurama only shrugged as Yusuke mentioned something about seeing him the next day instead.

Kurama paused as he came up on the door that lead to his room. He handed the candle off to Yusuke, bidding him good night and his thanks for the party.

Yusuke nodded and wandered off down the hall singing a very off-key song. Kurama smirked and closed the door, hearing the distant yelp as Yusuke was hit with a well-aimed shoe that had come from Genkai's room.

Shaking his head with a small laugh, he turned to face the dark room. The only light came from several beams of moonlight that lit the floor, filtering in through the open window. Curtains blew gently in the breeze, creating shapes and figures as the wind swept them into billows of fabric.

_:I sense a trap...: _Youko's voice lured away in his head, sly and cunning and seemingly very happy at the idea of said trap. Kurama rolled his eyes. _:A trap with the punishment of a round of very hot, sexy, ki-:_

_:Stop talking:_

"Hiei?" Kurama called softly as he moved towards the window. Before he had taken two steps, however, he was tackled from behind. He landed stomach down on the wooden floor, strong hands gripping his wrists and pinning them to the ground beside his waist.

A knee was gently digging into his back, preventing escape by overpowering the attacker. Kurama shivered as Hiei leaned forward, mouth pressed against his ear.

"You take too long to ditch a bunch of party hosts." Another long shiver ran down the fox's back, leaving goose bumps as his lover's hot breath brushed against his ear followed shortly by his tongue.

"But I couldn't be rude, my love. Besides, I heard you had ice cream to preoccupy your mouth," Kurama whispered back seductively. That was the end of Hiei's patience.

The fox yelped as he was spun onto his back.

"Yes, but I'm out of sweet snow. Besides, now I have you to occupy my mouth." Before he had anytime to really register what Hiei had said, hot lips were pressed against his mouth. Kurama whined in the back of his throat as Hiei pushed his tongue past his lips.

The fox griped the back of the youkai's shirt, pulling it tight in clenches. He moaned as Hiei's hands traveled down to his waist, running rough fingers over his smooth skin.

"Mmm," Hiei whispered barely audible as he pulled away to sit straddled over the fox's waist, hands still rubbing delicate circles on Kurama's skin. "You taste sweet."

"Well, I think that's the cake's icing but thank you," Kurama whispered back with a smile. Hiei smirked and bent down, taking the fox's mouth in his own once again.

Kurama moaned as Hiei's hands began to finger the waistline of his slacks. The fire demon pulled away from the warm and cavernous mouth to press his lips against Kurama's neck.

Hiei dragged his fangs over the skin, suggestively nipping at bits. Kurama yelped as the fire demon bit hard enough to bruise the skin. Glancing at the fox's face, which was still painted in absolute bliss, the fire demon lapped the skin where he'd bitten as a form of apology.

"Hiei..." the fox whispered in a plea of pure love. Hiei smirked and began moving his kisses downward, trailing the junction of Kurama's collarbone before moving to his chest.

_:You'd better check the wards, lest everyone hear you scream:_ Youko's sly and mocking voice entered Kurama's head and he resisted rolling his eyes.

_:I do not scream:_ Kurama argued back much to Youko's amusement. He listened in annoyance as the fox demon chuckled.

_:Admit it, you're a screamer_: Kurama chose not to reply out of frustration, and instead turned to the starting topic of the wards.

"Ar-Are the wards up?" Kurama gasped out in between panting breaths as Hiei's tongue quickly silenced him, darting around a nipple and licking it casually before he pressed his mouth down, sucking lightly.

Hiei made a deep throaty growl as his eyes darted to one of the walls as he continued his light sucking. Kurama, through the blur of pleasure, followed Hiei's hint and saw a white paper ward pinned against the wall.

A silencing ward.

"Good thing too," Hiei whispered almost evilly as he released Kurama's nipple and drew closer to his face. Kurama's breath caught in his throat.

"And why's that?" he asked huskily. Hiei's eyes took on a feral quality and his smirk made Kurama squirm in anxiety.

"Because I'm going to make you scream until you can't breath..." Kurama smiled as Hiei's lips grew close to his.

"Oh really?" Kurama whispered in reply as he wrapped his arms around Hiei's neck.

"Uh-huh." Hiei ducked his head forward, capturing the fox's lips in another passionate kiss.

o-o-o-o-o-

First off, sorry but I don't do lemons. Second: this is probably all the sexual action you're going to get. The rest is action/adventure. So I thought I might put some in the beginning.

Hope it wasn't too much.

Alright, I know there wasn't a lot of action in the first chapter, but the next one has tons, as a real mission (which is a side reason as to why Koenma called the meeting) comes up.

Also, I don't know Kurama's b-day. It might say so in the manga, but I couldn't find it online and I don't own the manga. I have the anime, though, and it doesn't say.

I hope you guys will keep reading. Oh, and please review.


	2. The Mission : Day One

**Disclaimer**: Ich besitze nichts (German this time! ...I hope that's right...I'm probably making a fool of myself... oh well! Nothing new!)

**Review Responses**: Wow, thank you all for reviewing! I'm getting a steady number of readers on all my stories! How fun!

**KyoHana**: I'm glad it was good! I read lemons but I don't write them, at least not yet. There might have to be one in _Memories of the Lost_but if there is it won't be graphic. So, Anyways, I'm glad you liked it.

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out! I'll have you know, though, that I wrote this whole chapter in one night... –wipes tear- I feel so... inspired!

I think I'll take that inspiration and inspire myself right to sleep. –yawn-

**Agent Dark Moose**: I'm happy that you liked it! Sorry about the lemons, I read but don't write them. If you're reading _Memories of the Lost_ I might have to put one in there. But otherwise, I'm not big on writing them.

Also, I am very glad that Youko's comments came off as humorous...They were supposed to. It's funny, when my best friend and I started writing, she came off as all comedy and no tragedy and I came off as all tragic and no humor, that's why we often co-authored for each other.

...Guess I can sorta write comedy after all...but only if it's in the midst of a tragic story...how...oddly ironic.

Oh, and the plot of this story is fun because it switches around some. Let me tell you that the mission coming up, is not the main plot. :D messing with my own head as much as everyone else's is just so much fun.

**LazyFatKitsune**: Thanks. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Kuranga108**: Request away, but each story is going a bit slow. Unfortunately and fortunately all at the same time, everyone seems to love _A Spider's Bite_ and _Cold Rescue_ which seem to be the only two I'm having serious issues writing at the moment. –Shrug- Figures. But I'll work on updating them as soon as possible.

Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

**Red Kitsune Flames**: Yes...Kurama and Hiei romance...paradise...Okay, back from reminiscing, I'm glad you liked the story and I hope it keeps your interest.

**Notes**: Hey, yeah...this has nothing to do with Yu Yu Hakusho, or this story, but is anyone else anxiously awaiting the last episodes of spiral? I AM! I can't wait for the last disc to come out...I'm such an Anime Freak.

Okay, anyways, back to _this_ fandom! I don't think I have any notes for this chapter other than...Well there was something...but I can't remember.

So, let the mayhem ensue!

-o-o-o-o-o-

_**Separate Souls**_

**Chapter 2**

The Mission – Day One

-o-o-o-o-o-

Sunlight streamed in through the partially opened window, all but the single stream blocked by the Japanese paper and its wooden frame. The beam was enough, however, to hit the single occupant of the room straight in the face and awaken him.

Wild, tangled hair was tossed all around his soft, peaceful face. One piece swayed gently across his skin as a calm breeze blew in with the sunlight. Lightly closed eyes squinted against the light bombarding his eyelids and he twitched his nose against the tickling strand of hair.

Despite his hard work, the redhead woke to his small sneeze. His bright green eyes opened and immediately shut to slits as the sun shot directly into them. With a loud groan, he sat up, tossing his tangled red tresses down his back.

The white sheets of his futon pooled around his waist, revealing pale skin. Tight, exercised muscles flexed with every movement, his body more fit than that of a fireman's. His thin, almost feminine hips could just be seen beneath the thin sheet.

Kurama blinked in the light coming through the window before he looked down at the tossed and rumbled sheets of the futon. The second pillow that lay beside his own was bare, only a past indent showing former use.

With a beat-down sigh, Kurama leaned back and propped himself up with his elbows. His sigh blew the single strand of red hair out of his face.

_:He's gone. I win; that'll be ten bucks, please: _Youko's voice, clear as if awake for hours (when it had truly only been minutes) came through he human's sleep-fogged brain. Kurama groaned.

_:You seem so happy that our lover is gone:_ the boy replied somewhat sarcastically. Youko snorted.

_:Hey, it's money:_ Kurama frowned when these words reached his mind, waking him up some.

_:First off: money over our lover? That's low:_ he reprimanded. But he wasn't done and continued with, _:And second, my money; your money; what's the difference? We inherit the same body, so betting each other money is pointless:_

He could hear Youko growl. _:For starters, I wasn't in control so last night he wasn't **my** lover. He was **your** lover. And second; I can spend **my m**oney on whatever I feel like when **I**'m in control. Besides, you took the bet:_

Kurama had always known that his patience with Youko was shorter and less tolerant that the other Reikai tentai. He supposed that it was from his brother like relation with the youko. Being soul brothers, he didn't have to be patient.

And when Youko brought up things like this, Kurama wasn't. He retorted in an angry voice, his frustration growing with every passing moment. _:Yours? Mine? What does it matter? We share the same body, do you simply refuse to share anything else:_

When all he got in response was a pointedly ignoring air of self-righteous attitude, he sighed more from sorrow than sleepiness. As he wrapped the sheet around him and stood, he grabbed his flannel pants that he often slept in (when Hiei wasn't staying the night) and pulled them on.

Just as he threw the sheet back onto the futon, a knock came from the door of his room. Glancing at the wall that had held the silencing ward, he found the paper gone.

"Come in," he called as he began remaking the futon. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Yusuke's head pop through the slit in the door as the teen opened it some.

"Hey, good morning," the teen said rather cheerfully for one who should have had one hell of a hangover and the headache to go with it.

Che, demon tolerance.

"Good morning, Yusuke," Kurama replied as he threw the comforter over the bedding. Yusuke, who frowned at Kurama's back, walked over. Bending down, he picked up a fallen pillow and tossed it onto the futon.

"Is something wrong?" Yusuke asked quietly so no one passing the room by chance would hear. Kurama glanced at him, his bright green eyes searching Yusuke's chocolate brown eyes as he wondered if he had become so simple to read.

After several silent seconds, the fox gave a sigh. "No Yusuke. Nothing you can help with," he added the last bit as he saw Yusuke's concerned frown deepened. Although the detective did not seem happy, he accepted the kitsune's response.

"Alright. Well, you know I'm always here if that changes," the raven-haired teen gave Kurama an almost stern look and the fox couldn't help but give a crooked smile at the teen's (almost) motherly concern. Indeed, he was trying hard to get passed the abnormality and temptation to burst into laughter.

"Thank you, Yusuke," Kurama replied as he dropped the second discarded pillow and set to work finding a suitable shirt, as he was still bare-chested. "I will keep it in mind. Now, did you happen to have a reason for visiting me at such an hour?"

"It's ten, Kurama! You can't call it 'such an hour'! Even I don't sleep that late," Yusuke argued with a tilt of his head, a grin on his face. "And besides, does a friend need a reason to drop in?"

"Not at all," Kurama replied as he pulled a loose T-shirt on. Not his first choice at an outfit, but suitable in covering himself in the least. He glanced back at Yusuke as he pulled his hair out of the neck of the shirt. "But you have one."

Yusuke let out a bark of laughter. "Can't hide anything from you, can I? Koenma really does have a mission for us, it would appear. Apparently came up this morning."

The fox nodded but internally sighed. Now he had to not only change clothes altogether, but he'd have to shower, also. He paused for a minute but when no withering, comical retort came from Youko, a pang of sorrow burned at his chest. Ignoring it, he turned to Yusuke.

"Thanks, I'll be out in a few minutes. I need to take a shower," the kitsune answered as he walked over to the closet to pick out an outfit.

"See you then," Yusuke replied as he walked back out the door, sliding it shut behind him. As Kurama tiredly sorted through the several outfits he had packed, he waited in dead silence for yet another retort.

_:You're not getting one:_ Kurama sighed and rolled his eyes to ignore the common pain that came from having his other half mad at him. Keeping the sorrow welled up and blocked with a strong mental wall, he hid his pain from Youko as he picked out an outfit and laid it on the futon.

And then he waited...

_: ...You really do have such horrible fashion taste:_

-o-o-o-o-o-

When Kurama walked into the large statue room, his hair wet and clinging in straggled tangles around his face and down his neck, Hiei smirked. The fox was smiling almost mischievously to himself; his eyes alight with mischief.

With a simple command to his Jagan, Hiei was suddenly submersed mid-conversation in the Youko and human's discussion.

_: -id no such thing: _Youko's voice was indignant, trying to defend his seemingly wounded pride. Hiei could practically see the kitsune's nose turned up.

_:Yes, you did:_

Youko huffed. _:Even if I did, it's the only one you're getting all day:_

_:Isn't that what you declared right before you said it: _Kurama replied with a wide smile, angering the youko further.

_:Yes, well, that was **it**: _he returned weakly as Kurama jumped up onto the statue, Hiei sitting on the other side of the war god's leg. As the fox sat, he flashed his fire demon a smile. Hiei "hn-"ed both to keep his smirk at the conversation down and as a return gesture.

_:Uh-huh, whatever you say:_ Kurama replied as Koenma walked into the room to address his tentai. Genkai was behind him, talking softly to Botan. The ferry girl had a small wooden box in her hands, the mahogany cover wrapped in a silver lock that intrigued the youko within Kurama for a moment.

_:I only said it in our defense. I couldn't rightly let you out wearing that...whatever-you-called-it:_ He huffed once he had looked at the box's lock and deemed in uninteresting.

_:Hey, leather is growing into a very popular style for ningens:_ Kurama lied, smiling at the fact that he had picked the specific outfit simply to get Youko to talk to him. He wasn't even sure where he had gotten the clothing.

_:Yeah, where:_ Youko growled impudently and Kurama smiled. Koenma started with the usual, beat-around-the-bush start up that he always used.

_:America:_ Kurama partially lied, not completely sure if that was true or not, but just naming the first thing that he knew was at least believable. Youko snorted.

_:That explains it a lot:_ Kurama had to bite his lip to keep from snorting his laughter. Although he wasn't fully paying attention to Koenma, the teenage toddler god seemed to finally be getting to the point.

Feeling satisfied that Youko wasn't going to ignore him for the rest of the day, he tuned back into the mission debriefing as Koenma said, "And...those circumstances are the reason that...we can't have Kurama go on the mission."

Kurama's head shot up at this, all his attention very suddenly focused on the junior lord as the other three tentai all but shouted out in his defense. As Yusuke was suddenly arguing very loudly about "Why the Hell can't the Fox-Boy go-" the kitsune tried to recall what he had picked up from the conversation while arguing with Youko.

Let's see, there was _Slave trading corporation_... and _Yamikio_... and _Human slave_... _job is to save him before he's traded_...

_:I get it:_ Youko interrupted and Kurama raised and eyebrow, even as he stared at Koenma, who was busy arguing with Yusuke. _:We have to get the human out, which means we have either pose as slaves or owners. Your human blood would show through if we posed as an owner, and my youko blood would show through if we posed as a slave...Not to mention I strictly forbid you from doing such a thing:_

_:Oh, well thank you, Mother:_ Kurama replied indignantly, but inwardly glad that the Youko was showing some care for him. Despite his common...prejudice and rude comments to the human, Youko was often soft and caring also, comforting him and calming him when he needed it most.

"I see," Kurama started aloud, capturing everyone's attention and ending the arguments. Hiei turned to him, surveying him with a delving glance. "My blood would show through were I to act as a slave or an owner. My mixed blood endangers the mission."

Koenma sighed but nodded, his head tilted in an apologetic manner. Yusuke seemed confused and he turned to Koenma, saying as much. "This doesn't make any sense," he began and pointed at himself. "I'm half demon, I have mixed blood, but you're not keeping me off this mission."

"Yusuke," Koenma began as he glanced over all four tentai. "You're blood will not be uncommon when you pose as a slave. A half demon is but the offspring demon traitor, and therefore welcomed as a slave."

"A youko, however," Kurama continued for the god, crossing his legs to give the impression that he was almost enjoying this, "is not one for human pair-bonding. Youko do not mate with humans, or even play with them. It is...underneath us, in a way.

"And so there is only one creature on the planet with both youko and human blood...and it's pretty well known information throughout the Makai. No doubt that these slave traders will have heard of the tentai and all of our attributes, yet never seen us," Kurama finished and Koenma nodded.

"Hiei will be able to pose as an owner through his pure blood, and you and Kuwabara will pose as slaves, one human and the other a half-blood bastard," Koenma replied, knowing that the raven-haired teen would take little offense. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara finally seemed to understand just why Kurama was going to have to sit this one out, though.

Only, it appeared that Koenma had a solution to that, also.

"However, you will be accompanied by Youko," Koenma said rather bluntly and everyone in the room besides Koenma and the two standing behind him froze. Kurama's eyes widened a large deal as Hiei's widened fractionally, wondering what the godling had planned now.

Yusuke and Kuwabara had no idea what the god had meant, but had a feeling that it wasn't good from the way that Koenma had spoken. Kurama finally broke the silence as he frowned.

"Youko...but not Kurama?" he asked, referring to himself as he watched Koenma's expression carefully. The face was almost steeled as he nodded.

"Yes, I am declaring a state of emergency and therefore relinquishing the ward available by doing so," he replied as he motioned to Botan to hand him the wooden box. "You see, if that human is traded as a slave, Yamikio will receive a very dangerous and very powerful ability in return.

"The amulet he has agreed upon for the exchange is of ancient properties and could ensue the end of the world. So, naturally, we need to make sure it does not fall into the hands of those who know what it is," he slid the key he drew from his pocket into the lock and it clicked open.

"And this Yamikio is one who knows, then?" Hiei asked and Koenma nodded his affirmative. He pulled from the box a chain-link necklace. It was fine and thin, the chains almost microscopic in view.

It was shaped as a double necklace, two circular links of chain connected at a single hook and loop formation at the tip of the necklace. Along the two chains were periodically placed beads.

The beads differed from white and black, the lighter colored shifting with strands of blue and silver while the blacks held streaks of red and gold. Despite the plain exterior look of the necklace, it was rather beautiful.

Kurama, however, was not focusing on the beauty. He had almost immediately recognized that particular necklace, having almost convinced himself to steal it that night he took the mirror.

"That is a separation amulet," he stated with a tone of awe and longing. Koenma looked at him with the utmost stern eyes.

"Yes, it is. And I have gained permission to allow you to adorn it. But you only have seven days, and then you must return to your former self," the godling began but Yusuke suddenly interrupted, having been giving and receiving rather confused glances to the orange-haired teen beside him.

"Wait, wait," he began, waving his arms. "What the hell are you all talking about?"

"It is a separation ward, detective," Hiei began. Everyone's eyes turned to him, the fire demon sitting with one knee tucked and the other pulled to his chest, his chin resting on it. His red eyes regarded the necklace with eyes alit with the flame of a thief who appreciates true beauty.

"That necklace will separate the souls of Youko Kurama and Shuichi Minamino; if adorned by Kurama, that is," the fire demon continued, a silence greeting his statement. "The point of such is so that Shuichi can stay safely here while we, along with Youko, retrieve the human and even possibly the weapon Yamikio was to receive."

Koenma nodded. "Yes. The actual workings of this particular ward are complicated, but they rely on forming a body for the one of the two souls inhabiting Shuichi Minamino's body. It will split the bind that holds the two to the same body and leave them separated for seven days.

"But," he warned, capturing Kurama's green eyes, "I'm warning you now that you only have seven days for this ward. On the seventh day the ward's magic will end. By then, you must have rejoined with Shuichi's body. The ward will end at-"

Kuwabara suddenly interrupted as he raised a hand, pointing upwards as if he had just discovered the mystery behind a murder. "Let me guess: Midnight, right?"

Koenma frowned for a second before he shifted through papers he seemingly pulled from nowhere, glancing at one for a minute before looking back up at the teen. "No. Actually, the spell will end at one P.M on the seventh day."

There was a mute minute that passed between them all before Yusuke snorted in laughter.

With a soft smile, Kurama nodded as he gently slid off of the stone statue and crossed over to Koenma. Yusuke put a hand on his shoulder, suddenly sober and eyes portraying his uncertainty in the situation, but Kurama only gave him a warm smile.

"Alright, let's get this over with, then," he said, as the Youko inside of him seemed to jump up and down at the prospect of separating. Although Shuichi hid it well behind his mental wall that he had long ago built against Youko, he could feel tears threatening at the aspect that Youko wished to leave so...fully.

Without further delay (and rather anti-climatically) Koenma unhooked the necklace and wrapped it around the fox's neck, hooking it as Kurama held up his red, silky hair.

Yusuke bit his lip and held his breath as Kuwabara gazed wide-eyed beside him. Kurama stepped away from the god, fingering the necklace before meeting the god's amber eyes.

"Hold still," Koenma began, placing his fingertips on the metal chain, keeping the rest of his hand off of Kurama's chest and skin. "I need to activate it."

Hiei watched in the utmost fascination as the godling began muttering under his breath. A light golden glow began to emit from under the teenage god's fingers. With a rapid speed, it enfolded the fox in its glow, wrapping his entire body with it. Kurama watched calmly, silently as the light surrounded him.

But something suddenly clicked behind his chest. With a frown, he started to look down when a pain abruptly wracked him, the feeling something alike to having someone play tug of war with his body.

Either side of him felt as if it was being pulled as hard as physically possible, both in opposite directions. He closed his eyes tightly as the pain increased and he couldn't help the small moan that passes his lips as a new feeling was added.

His eyes shot open, as a jagged-edged knife suddenly seemed to be splitting him in two, cutting down the middle of his chest violently. He gasped as he tried to clutch at his chest only to find himself unable to move.

"Ko-" He couldn't finish his call to the teenage god still feeding his powerful energy into the ward. Another gasp ripped at his throat as his vision began to go double, becoming fuzzy and distant as he tried to blink against the pain.

"Stop it, Koenma!" Yusuke's voice was so distant. Kurama tried to shake his head as his ears began to ring, the voices doubling so it was hard to figure out who was speaking, or where it was coming from.

The pain in his chest redoubled and just as he thought he could bare no more, it all ended. The cutting feeling, the harsh pull, all the pain and disorientation ended in a quick, swish of a moment.

He found himself kneeling on the ground, doubled over on his hands and knees. His breathing was erratic, his throat sore, and the air was catching in his lungs as he tried to swallow it in large gulps. Sweat was running down his forehead where his damp bangs stuck to his skin.

When he finally noticed the other's stunned silence, he glanced up through bleary eyes, blinking away tears that had formed without his knowing. Half of the other occupants in the room were staring at him, including Hiei.

The others, however, were staring wide-eyed to his right. Glancing over, his own eyes widened to see Youko Kurama, doubled over similarly to him and breathing hard.

His long, silvery hair hung over his shoulder, pooling on the ground beneath him. With a visible struggle, he mastered his breathing and finally glanced up.

He grinned wickedly as he realized that the charm had worked. Kura- No, Shuichi glanced down at his neck to see a single chain wrapped around his neck. The second chain was no longer there, and the beads around his neck were only white with the blue and silver streaks running through them.

The pure half of the necklace; the yang of the yin-yang; light over dark and so on and so forth. Glancing over at Youko, who was now climbing to his feet as Yusuke helped him up, Shuichi saw the second chain of the necklace around his neck, the black beads hanging innocently on the cord.

Shuichi's gaze dropped back down to the wooden floor. It had really happened; they were no longer one. He still had his mental wall built high and strong to protect him from Youko's dwelling thoughts...but there was no longer any Youko within him.

He suddenly felt empty in the vast expanse of his own mind. There was no longer the warm, comforting (and at times unbearably annoying) presence that had been with him since birth.

Quiet suddenly, he felt alone and no longer whole. Never before had he felt so lonely.

Bright green eyes looked up as he felt fingers gently touch his chin and lift his face upwards. Deep crimson eyes were staring at him in concern. Hiei was kneeling before him, one hand beneath his chin and the other soothingly combing through his hair.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a quiet, uneasy tone. Shuichi blinked before he gave a soft, uncertain smile and a shaky nod.

"I'm okay," he whispered in return. When Hiei continued combing his hair, looking thoroughly unconvinced, Shuichi gave a soft sigh, closing his eyes for a minute. "I feel so...utterly alone."

"It's al-" Hiei was cut short as Youko knelt beside him, staring at the human still kneeling on the floor. The fire demon suddenly seemed very uncomfortable in the midst of his lover split into two different bodies. He glanced between one and the other before Youko's golden eyes fixed on him.

With an impish smile, he nodded to Hiei before leaning forward and taking a gentle hold on Shuichi's shoulders. All occupants' eyes were on them as Hiei slowly released the human.

Youko let out a small laugh, one meant for comfort as Shuichi's bright green eyes stared into his gold pupils. "I have never truly looked upon your face, my Shuichi," Youko whispered loud enough for the others to hear but quiet enough to make it seem as if they were the only two in the room. He suddenly swept Shuichi into a tight hug.

The human's eyes widened slightly as he was pressed against the youko's larger frame. After a second's delay, he gave a small but happy smile and enwrapped the fox in his own hug, silver hair falling over his arms.

He blushed as he pulled away, the others in the room (but mostly just Botan) sighing in contempt. It was...awkward to say in the least.

Shuichi opened his mouth, searching for the right words when Koenma suddenly stepped up beside them. Youko, who still had his hand lying lightly on Shuichi's shoulder, turned to the god.

"One more thing," Koenma said with a mischievous look to his eye. Youko's brow furrowed slightly but he said nothing as the teen god continued. "This isn't just a simple Cinderella spell, you two. You will not return to normal on your own, seven days hence.

"The ward," he began in a teasing, younger voice that suddenly reminded Yusuke of one of his first encounters with the godling, right before he had said...

"...must be sealed by a kiss."

Yep, that had been about what the god had said three years ago. The thought suddenly sunk in and Yusuke's eyes widened before he began snickering quite conspicuously.

"WHAT!" That was Kuwabara, screaming out as got a mental image of Shuichi and Youko kissing. "But that's...that's like kissing himself!"

Youko smiled almost impishly again as Shuichi blushed a beet red, somewhere near the shade of his hair. The fox looked down slightly with an amused smile. "I thought as much."

Shuichi was still blushing, his eyes slightly wide as Koenma suddenly grew sober, his voice far from its recent teasing tones. "But being serious, now. This is potentially dangerous for both of you. If you two have not reverted the magic of the ward by the end of the seventh day or fail to return Youko's soul to Kurama's body, Youko will cease to be."

A very loud silence settled over the room before Yusuke let out a low whistle, momentarily breaking the tension. Youko shook his head as the sudden thought bore down on him.

"That's no problem. Seven days is plenty of time," he said confidently as he released Shuichi's shoulder and lent the teen a hand in standing up. Shuichi still felt weak, as his human body was weaker than Youko's and had taken more damage in the separation.

Yusuke smiled as he clapped the two on their backs. "Well, we'd best get going. Let's not waste any time since we're actually on a limit for once!"

Kuwabara frowned for a second as the four picked up the various Makai formatted bags and backpacks Koenma and Genkai had prepared. "For once? Urameshi, aren't we always on a time limit? I mean, we had to find Yukina before she was hurt; stop Sensui before the portal opened-"

"Capture Kurama and I before the week was out," Hiei put in as he shouldered a pack. Yusuke grinned sheepishly as he started making up some comeback that would most likely end in him and Kuwabara fighting it out in a fist brawl.

As, sure enough, the argument began in the background, Hiei turned to Shuichi. Youko was beside him, picking up his own bag that had been fit for Makai travel, instead of a ningen backpack that would attract immediate attention.

"Are you..." Hiei paused, not used to having to be sentimental or concerned. "...Going to be okay?"

Shuichi looked at him with a tilted head for a minute before he broke into a dazzling smile that comforted the fire demon beyond words. "I'll be fine. Just...please look after Youko, Hiei. I..." his voice dropped so that the Youko beside him, who was busy talking to Genkai and Koenma at the same time (miraculously) couldn't hear. "I still feel so empty inside. Lonely"

Hiei smiled and, checking that the other two humans were paying no attention, leaned up and did something surprisingly uncharacteristic for the normally stoic fire demon. Shuichi smiled as a kiss was placed quickly on his cheek.

"Don't worry, we'll be back."

The fire demon was beside the youko seconds after, acting as if he had neither said, nor done anything irregular. Shuichi smiled softly before glancing over at the two teens that had, indeed, gotten into a fist brawl.

"Break it up, you dimwits," Genkai suddenly said as Hiei and Youko made their way over to them. The two split apart as if there had never been a fight and looked at the two.

"Ready to go?" Yusuke asked, glancing quickly at Shuichi and throwing him a wink. The teen blushed but nodded thankfully.

"Yeah, let's go kick some demon butt!" Kuwabara shouted as he turned and started out the door, the other three and Botan following. The three left in the room followed out onto the wooden porch that surrounded the temple as the four started towards the courtyard where Botan would open a portal for them.

As Botan prepared to open the portal, Youko paused and turned around. The others stopped to see what the problem was when the fox winked at Shuichi, who was watching from just outside the doorway.

"I'll be back for that kiss," Youko said with his wink as he turned and stepped into the portal, Yusuke hooting and howling behind him like a six-year-old.

Behind them, as Yusuke entered the portal, Shuichi blushed a shade darker than his hair.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Yay! Chapter 2 is done, and it was a good four or five pages longer than most of my other stories!

So, what do you think so far? Good, bad...so-so?

Not any Author notes this time...I think it's because it's 1:30 in the morning and I'm really tired and lazy and I can't think of anything you need to know...but I wanted to get this out tonight, so there. So...here you go, anything that is even the least bit confusing to you, just put it in a review or e-mail me...

Alright, just one author's note, because I feel I should explain this...

_...fire demon suddenly seemed very uncomfortable in the midst of his lover split into two different bodies..._ Wouldn't you be uncomfortable? I mean, talk about playing favorites, you'd have to make sure that neither felt you were ignoring them... One boyfriend/girlfriend is enough work, but one split into two and each expecting more treatment than the other? Ouch.

Anyways, some things for you to think about:

1. _Will Youko make it back in time_?

2. _What is with this Yamikio_?

3. _What would you say if I told you he isn't the main bad guy_?

4. _And Where is this story going_? (I seem to favor this question a lot lately :D )

Well, I hope you all enjoyed!


	3. The Bidding : Day One part II

**Disclaimer**: Ik bezit niets

Dutch! ...I think.

**Notes**: No notes except: Here you go, NyteKit. You can all thank her for the update, she's the one who kicked my butt into gear with a request.

Oh, and to NyteKit, KyoHana, and every other person who gives me the corrections to my grammar: THANK YOU! And I hope this chapter isn't too bad: I'm proofing it at three o'clock in the morning.

Please forgive any errors.

Oh, and please enjoy, as well.

-o-o-o-o-

**_Separate Souls_**

_Chapter 3_

The Bidding– Day 1 (part II)

-o-o-o-o-

Against the struggle of time, the day was once more turning into the sinister darkness of night.

Once bright rays of the yellow sun were slowly fading into pinks and dim purples as the sky turned darker. As the hours progressed, minutes passing by in a steady tick of draining time, stars began to illuminate themselves among the velvety blanket of blackness.

Dull and barren land passed by, the chaparral shrubs and mini boulders slowly fading away into desert sand, which, in turn, gave a slow birth to the rise of a large forest. Nightfall found itself weaving through the greenery of the land, wrapping around the abnormal trees that reached well into the sky. Their thick bark fought against the darkness until finally seeping in to register its black and menacing ways, leaving the once peaceful and inviting forest haunting and sinister.

As the journey passed through the cool aspects of day, into the heated evening, and finally the chilly winds that whipped through the trees, the clear sky was slowly corrupted by thick, gray clouds that suggested ominous intents. The once starry night was steadily disappearing into a foggy gray that seemed impenetrable, and yet hundreds of miles away. The air chilled as the last star disappeared, concealed away by the cooling breeze that was brought as an onslaught against weary travelers.

Of course, the slaved over, three-paragraph description of a seventy-two mile trek across the Makai under such foreboding conditions was completely and utterly missed by the tentai, who were too busy making jokes and laughing to realize the passing day, or the ominous forest, or the oncoming storm.

Instead, Yusuke was busy cracking some wise-ass joke about what Youko was going to do when he got back and had to kiss Shuichi. Youko, who had nonchalantly waved off the first joke, laughed at the seventh and eighth, was beginning to tire by this, the seventy-third joke that day.

"Will you give it a rest, already!" Hiei, however, beat the youko to his threatening. The fire demon was wearing his usually stoic expression except for the pure annoyance in his crimson eyes.

Yusuke raised his hands up, backing off slightly and yet still displaying that stupid silly grin of his. He laughed as Hiei gave his typical, one syllable retort and turned away.

Youko gave a grateful nod in the fire demon's direction as the oncoming headache slowly sank back into a possibly oncoming headache. Kuwabara looked between the fire demon and the fox spirit and rubbed his head.

"I don't get it," he suddenly stated to Yusuke, who was walking dutifully beside him as they neared the edge of the forest line. Darkness had already fallen and the forest did give off a dangerous look. None of the tentai paid any heed.

"You don't get many things, Kuwabara," Yusuke answered without missing a beat.

Youko sighed as a full on fist brawl was once again (as it was the seventh in just that hour) instigated and his headache decided to come back and greet him with an overly unwelcome Hello.

Hiei gave a partially disgusted snort as he muttered something incoherent about ningens and jumped into the first tree branches. Youko smiled slightly as he watched the fire demon disappear into the forest. Slowly, using as much caution as he knew Hiei had used, he entered the forest with the other two behind him, still beating each other up.

"Will you two quit it, already!" he growled out as he bared his fangs, glancing at them over his shoulder. Almost immediately the two pulled apart, shoved their hands in their pant pockets, and walked in absolute, obedient silence. Youko gave a very relieved sigh as he raised a clawed hand to massage his temple.

There was a long stretch of silence between the orange haired teen and his raven-haired friend after their reprimanding. Finally, however, Kuwabara chose to revert back to his earlier conversation (or try for one.)

"Urameshi, I still don't get it," he began, but quickly continued so that Yusuke could not think up another withering retort (sort of.) "Why couldn't the...the human part of Kurama come?"

Yusuke gave a sigh as his eyes landed on the silver haired creature walking some dozen feet in front of them. Youko was peacefully making his way through the pathless woods, neither tripping nor slowing for an instant.

"It's because of the place we're going, Kuwabara." Yusuke gave a sort of agitated sigh, though it wasn't truly annoyed, more exasperated. "We're going to a slave market, where humans and weak demons are sold by rich, fucked up humans and strong, upper class demons."

Kuwabara nodded, but still looked confused, so Yusuke continued, "If Kurama were to have come, he could not pose as a human because of his youko blood. It would be sensed immediately. He could not pose as a slave owner for the same reason; his human blood would come through his youko body."

"Oh," Kuwabara replied, the light going on. "So as Youko and only a youko, he'll act as a slave owner and no one will have any idea he's faking it?"

"Exactly," Yusuke replied, ending the extent of how much he himself understood. His dark brown eyes looked up again to trace Youko's footsteps. Hiei was back down beside the fox now, and the two were talking quietly.

The rest of the trip, miraculously, remained in the quiet mumblings of the two parties, with the demons in the lead through the forests. The undergrowth was growing thicker and the canopy was becoming taller, blotting out the fading light and casting moving shadows across the already spooky forest.

But the clearing opened up quite suddenly and the mansion loomed quite largely as brush was pushed aside from the slightly warn path they had fallen onto. Guards stood at ever entry to the mansion, including the end of the forest path they strode down.

Yusuke held back the urge to whistle and managed to elbow Kuwabara into silence before he could make his normally loud statements.

The mansion before them was enormous, sprawling out into a four-story building with Victorian style turrets and spirals reaching into the Makai skies above. Dark reddish-brown paint coated the thick, impenetrable walls and yellow lining managed to give the slave market headquarters a rather ironic, homely touch.

The lawn was neatly trimmed and guard posts held at every doorway, fierce beasts similar to dogs (but with a lot sharper teeth and tails ending in spikes) standing beside each humanoid guard. Arrangements of flowerbeds held bursting buds of various vegetation, catching Kurama's eye immediately.

Some of those plants were very rare.

Hiei pulled Kurama's hand gently, focusing those golden eyes away from the old mansion and the neatness of the land and into his red orbs.

"Are you ready?" the fire demon asked, sounding cold but deep down, where only Youko could see, he was genuinely asking.

Kurama flicked his silver hair over his shoulder with a thin, clawed hand. "Of course, my love," he replied, turning to the two humans behind him. "Remember you two, act as slaves."

Hiei glanced back at them. "Well, the dirt you got on you from your pointless brawling certainly makes you look correct." Both boys were about to mount a protest when a glare from the fire demon cut them short. "Slaves don't talk back to their masters. Now hold still, we need to make sure you look the part."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Yusuke muttered with narrowed eyes. The fire demon grinned almost manically as he stepped towards them.

Youko mumbled something about having done this sooner, but Hiei just shrugged and began singing the ends of their clothing as Youko cut tears here and there, keeping a close eye on the guards and the road so they wouldn't be noticed.

"There," Youko finished with a final tear to the hem of Yusuke's loose sleeve. "Much better. Now let's go, and remember your roles."

Yusuke and Kuwabara both nodded, forcing their eyes downcast, away from their "masters" and started after the two, following closely behind (but no closer than a slave, of course.)

Youko and Hiei presented themselves, namelessly, before the guards, stating their purpose and presence. The guards eyed both of them for a moment before shifting to the downtrodden boys behind them.

After a moment's hesitation in which all four unconsciously held their breath, the guard nodded his head up and down to himself and allowed them passage into the building beyond.

-o-o-o-o-

Yusuke let out a low whistle as they entered the main hall.

The room belonged to the mansion it lay in; the walls peaked high above them in an arching dome of golden filigree and paintings of various demons, humans, and angels. Each wall was a light, slightly off-white color with the same gold lining over it, creating a kingly image, which included several balconies with mingling people within the private boxes.

Yusuke muttered something about how stealing from the Vatican was wrong, and Youko and Kuwabara were forced to muffle their laughter. The fire demon merely glared at the slave not acting like a slave.

The furniture in the room was sparse but rich where it was, which was mostly focused on the several dozen chairs organized throughout the room. The stage in the center was built to raise a dozen feet off the ground, giving the entire room a clear look at the person standing atop it.

The sheer mass of people in the room almost outdid the cost of it. There had to be over two hundred demons and humans alike in that room, all talking quietly within groups scattered about. It created a low din of noise just above the annoyance barrier.

And still more were filing into the room, anxious for the slave trade to begin.

All chatter died away, however, as one demon climbed the steps of the stage and raised his arms to the side, calling for silence among his guests.

The demon was obviously one of an ice tribe, given away by his hair and eyes. Long, icy teal strands fell to his thighs, pulled back by several hair ties. Long bangs fell in front of his eyes, hiding one from view as he constantly swept them to one side of his face or the other.

Said eyes were a very light shade of blue, almost frosty in their glaze, as if he were borderline on blindness. They stared out over the crowd in joyful mischief, as if watching others bid over his possessions brought him the greatest happiness, almost a childish giddiness, in the world.

In fact, it probably did.

He was wearing a long robe of a flowy, cottony fabric that didn't seem to fit the style of the rich mansion with its rather plain overlook. It was a light blue, fitting once more to his hair and eyes, as well as his nature itself. It wrapped around his waist and body much like a kimono did, tied off with a thick sash that looped around itself and hung down almost to the floor.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" he called in a greeting of sorts, spreading his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "I would like to thank you all for joining me in my house today."

There was a rather affirmative response through chattered calls back to him, as well as through the groups once again.

"Please, please," he silenced the crowd once again. Youko noted his soft voice and how it didn't seem to fit his icy exterior at all. It was closer to fitting that smile on his face: fake and overused.

"The bidding will start soon, my honored guests. Please take your seats, or corresponding locations if you wish to remain standing." With that he climbed back off the stage, jumping the ten or so feet to the ground, landing among what appeared to be his associates.

"Well, that must be Yamikio," Yusuke said as he stood beside Youko and Hiei, hands on his hips.

"Yes, thank you for pointing out the obvious," Hiei replied, sending a glare over to him. "Now do you mind backing down and acting like a _slave_, you idiot?"

"Huh?" Yusuke blinked in a moment of incomprehension. "Oh! Oops...sorry."

Hiei rolled his eyes and looked back ahead, red eyes locking onto the owner of the mansion and slave trade. Beside him, Youko smiled in a manner in which the fire demon could _feel_ the motion rather than see it.

"We're never going to get out of this alive," the fire demon muttered, sparing a glaring glance back at their two "slaves."

"We will with my help," Youko whispered in his ear, having bent down to do so. The fire demon tried to resist a shiver but couldn't quite manage it and gave his one syllable grunt as his body shook ever so slightly.

Youko smiled in his victory and stood straight up again, eyes also locking on their potential target, but watching for their real target as well; the human slave to be sold.

"Do we have any idea what this guy looks like?" Kuwabara whispered, maintaining his position behind the two, as a slave's location might suggest.

"No, but I'm sure we'll know him when we see him," the fox replied back, keeping his mouth from moving much and his eyes still roaming the sea of people near the stage.

"How?" Yusuke asked, glancing all around him. He was less worried about their target and more worried about having so many people around. There was no way to watch all of them at once, leaving plenty of room for error, which lead to death in the demon world.

"He'll be the only human of the right age and gender," the fire demon replied curtly as he grabbed Youko's wrist and began towards a place he found suitable for the bidding they were going to take place in, expecting their "slaves" to follow.

"The Makai slave trade hosts mainly captured demons. Ever sense Enki and the rule of protection towards ningenkai, the number of humans in these slave trades has dropped dramatically," the Youko continued to explain to their two friends of lesser understanding.

"Now if you're done with the hundred questions," Hiei interrupted, still speaking quietly but in a cold, annoyed voice, "you might want to shut up and start acting like slaves. Unless, of course, you want to get us killed."

The two boys bowed their heads sheepishly and fell into an obedient silence. Youko smirked at Hiei, making an off comment about how he'd make a good father one day (to which he got a blush and an angry retort of how improbable that was.)

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" a voice boomed through the hall, projected through speakers hung around the walls (a rather ningen thing to have in Makai, as Hiei noted.) "May I present the first of many possessions to be sold by our Lord Yamikio this day! Lady Rina of the wolf clan!"

A yelp followed that name as a scared and raggedy wolf demon was shoved up onto the stage, a chain looped around the collar on her neck, keeping her on the wooden platform. Her eyes were wide and fearful as the announcer began selling her off as best he could, the owners of the chain forcing her to follow instructions of dance and show.

The proceedings followed as such under the grim eyes of the tentai. They had to watch offer after offer of women, children, and men sold to various rich components of the demon and human worlds.

Very few humans were included in this, but their cover was almost blown when a nine-year-old half-breed boy was sold into the slavery of a very fat, overly bearing coward of a demon who was likely to use the poor child as a source of labor and release from sexual tension.

Youko kept Yusuke from ruining the entire mission **only** by promising him that they would get the boy after they secured the item as well as the human slave.

When their target did come up onto the stage, Yusuke had to admit that they were right; he was easily recognizable. The man was announced as a _human_, bragged out to be a _human_, and made overly redeeming as a _human_.

In reality, he was scraggily: unshaven and dirty. His ragged close did little to cover his scrawny body of an early twenties and his hair was matted with dirt and blood. You could no longer tell the color of his skin or of that hair, his clothes may have once been white but were now brown with the grime of the cages slaves were kept in when not for sale.

Frightened, but oddly strong green eyes peaked out from beneath the clumped bangs. Those eyes told of more than one man should ever have to deal with, yet did not contain the broken soul that most would have held. They only showed a great knowledge of and pity for the world.

Youko liked this human's eyes, and he liked more what he saw in those eyes.

"That would be him," he whispered as the bidding began. Koenma had given them permission to use whatever amount they needed to buy the man; as they were not planning on paying anyways.

"Seventeen thousand," the fox suddenly but calmly called out among the voices, his deep baritone ringing loud and clear. Faces turned at the claim from the back of the room and a silence rang out over the humans and demons.

Kitsune were rare to be seen nowadays, what with the high prices they fetched in slave markets, the beauty of their coats, and their mischievous tendencies which often led to their deaths.

Not to mention the fact that Youko had been, and still was, one of the finest looking of his race. His fair milky skin and silver hair had never once failed him to bring a lover to bed; nor to hook a feisty bat demon or a ruder fire demon into loving him as he loved them.

Hiei held back the glare that he wished to impose on each of those surprised, or often awed faces. This especially counted when he glanced back over to Yamikio only to find the man staring at his, yes HIS, fox in the utmost desire to have.

_'Why did I agree to do this again?'_ he thought angrily in his mind. Demons were very territorial when it came to their mates, if they ever truly found one. Hiei was no different; Kurama was his and only his: a possession to be owned as one.

However, the fire demon fully accepted the reversal of this role as well. Kurama was his possession to do with what he pleased, just as he was a possession of the fox, who could very well do what he wanted with the fire demon.

Hiei believed in the equality and trust needed to form a true mating.

He mentally shook himself from his brief mental wanderings. Right now, it was imperative to stay focused on the demon that ran this mission, as well as all those that were also staring at his fox.

Once more, staring at **_HIS _**fox.

He didn't like that very much.

"Well, well," Yamikio suddenly spoke, striding forward into the crowd some, becoming more visible to the four. "Can't anyone top this _lovely_ kitsune's bid?"

There was a moment of silence in which those close to Hiei suddenly began to think that the room was becoming hot and stuffy, before a deeper voice cut in, raising another several thousand. The youko only smiled and bid but a step higher than him, not pushing but merely taunting.

A woman cried out for another three thousand up and, yet again, Youko topped her. Yamikio was now staring with a smirk at the golden-eyed fox, who stared right back at him.

No one answered the last of Youko's cries and their demonic host smiled as he called out the success of their mission with one word spoken from longingly lustful lips.

"Sold."

-o-o-o-o-

Alight! It's done done done...chapter of course.

Let me clear something up while I'm thinking of it: Unless the story seems to be complete or I'm rambling about how I finished another story, when I say "done" or "the end" I mean only the chapter.

I'll make a biiiig deal about ending a story, since I find it a rather lengthy process indeed.

Okay, I apologize for the lack of action and the seemingly short chapter. Or, it seemed really short to be, despite the normal length.

That's probably because Last One Left was the last thing I wrote and we all know those chapters are not of normal lenght!

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed!

Please review o.o/) Bye bye!

**Author's Notes**:

_...robe of a flowy..._ Flowy is not a word. Oh the horror.


	4. The Trap : Day Two

**Disclaimer**: Oikmash Hidnal kodiam!

Gibberish!

Don't you just love that language? And it's so easy to speak! Maybe not to understand, but speaking it's the easy part!

**Notes**: Um…none that I know of. And, like I always say, if you know of any that I don't…well gee, I'm not writing the story very well then!

Actually, I have something to comment on because anti-social me doesn't have anyone else to ramble to at the moment:

I'm excited. This is the chapter I've wanted to write since I outlined the story. I even have half the dialogue already done.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I will.

**-o-o-o-**

_**Separate Souls**_

_Chapter 4_

The Trap - Day 2

**-o-o-o-**

"You must stay the night."

It was perhaps the fifth time they had been urged to remain in Yamikio's house overnight, and it was the fifth time Youko politely declined, stressing the fact that they had to return to Lord Yomi's castle.

Which was halfway across the Makai, so they had a long way to go.

And besides, the sun would rise in four hours, so it was hardly overnight. By the time the auction had ended, it had proceeded into the early hours of the morning.

The second day without Shuichi.

Yamikio nodded, finally. "Yes, I understand. It is rare, however, that we ever have such a rarity of beauty in this house, not to mention a well financed one. I simply hoped I might have the honor of entertaining you."

The last words, while spoken innocently enough, were quite obviously not innocently intended. The fire demon, who had refrained from glaring at the customers of the auction, as demons are often provoked to competition by such challenges as a glare, could no longer.

He let out a low growl which was heard by every demon standing in the formal office of the mansion owner. The sound was neither feral nor hostile, but a warning that the fox was not free for the taking.

Which, unfortunately, never worked with the Youko. Hiei had chosen one of the most promiscuous races for a lover, and it made defending his possession very hard because no one took it seriously.

Yes, it was easy to believe that Hiei was a lover of the youko. What was hard to believe was that the fox would deny taking another to bed, as they were well known for their polygamous nature.

Yamikio spared the fire demon a glance and then let out a chuckle. "I see a lover has already accompanied you, my dear kitsune."

"Youko, actually," Youko specified, as the similarities between the two species could often cause mistaken races. They tended to be rather temperamental to it as youko were often more powerful, not to mention their beauty could not be compared to that of a normal kitsune.

The only thing youko failed at in comparison to kitsune was the shape shifting, something that would have come in great handiness as a thief.

Yamikio seemed slightly impressed with the declaration, as did the others in the room, which had all given a light chuckle at the audacity of Hiei growling over a youko lover. "Forgive me, my dear _youko_, I was not sure and did not want to presume."

The youko bowed his head in understanding. "It is quite alright, I take no offense in your error. Now, if we could arrange for the money to be transferred, my lover and I must be leaving soon."

Their human target was already in the hands of Yusuke and Hiei, waiting in the auction room, as they had been ever since the ordeal ended. Although it was a little risky to leave their "slaves" guarding their new slave, they had to risk it, as the fire demon would not allow Youko to enter a room full of slave owners alone.

Not looking like that among men who bought people for sex toys.

And the ever so helpful Youko could only grin his head off, finding it adorable how protective the hiyoukai was over him.

And besides, it wasn't like Yusuke and Kuwabara could "escape" if they were even real slaves. Any demon who saw them would have killed them on sight. A runaway slave can not be charged for if killed in an attempted escape.

Makai slave trade rules. To think such an uncivilized thing had such strict, civil rules.

Oh the irony.

Yamikio nodded and motioned them to follow through the parted crowd to his desk, which he slid behind and sat down. Folding his arms in front of him much like Koenma always did, he looked up at the two.

"Now," he began, "will you be paying in cash or do you wish to use a transfer system?"

Amazingly, unlike what most would think, the Makai was very well managed and quite technology-adapted (if Yomi's kingdom was anything to say about that.) They had a complete banking system, but it was only good for those rich youkai who had enough money to ever want to transfer rather than use cold hard cash.

"We will be transferring the money from this account." Youko withdrew a small piece of paper with several long number codes written on it. Yamikio took it gently from his hand, their skin touching for a second too long to be mere accident.

Hiei was not happy.

Youko pulled back as if he hadn't noticed, but he did smile at their host as he gently put the same hand into Hiei's, grasping the fire demon's hand softly.

Hiei was now smirking at Yamikio's obvious displeasure.

It was actually quite comical in the youko's mind. At least half of the demons, humans, or any other enemy they had faced had flirted with him, lusted after him, or made right out claims and attempts for him.

Sometimes it was rather annoying, and he often thought about cutting his hair, since most of them seemed to comment about the silver locks, or even the red when he was merged with his human counterpart. And while it didn't truly bother him (he just killed those that were disgusting enough to have no right to flirt with him,) it was a nuisance to think they were also flirting with Shuichi.

Youko did not want any human, demon, or anything else flirting with his human brother. Shuichi had a lover, and did not desire any other. Not to mention, the fox demon wanted to pull out the heart (and lower regions) of anyone who dared to touch his human.

It made him mad.

Yamikio was typing the various codes needed to access the system, which was far better protected than the human banks which could be easily tricked into transferring money into a robber's account, or even better, transferring nonexistent money into Yamikio's account.

Which would have made their job so much harder, except for one thing: they worked for the Reikai. And what was so very nice about working for the Reikai, in their case, was that it was Spirit World that operated the banking system. Pretending to pay the slave trader before them by transferring money that didn't exist and tricking his vaults into thinking he had received money was as easy as writing instructions into a notebook.

And they weren't even the ones who had to write them in.

Yamikio entered the code, drawing up a bank account made before the mission that contained more than enough money for the trade and made Youko look like quite the demon. The slave owner was, undoubtedly by the look on his face, impressed with the large total in Youko's false account and he began the transaction.

"Okay, the only thing left is your name," he said, looking up at the Youko expectantly. The fox did not let the frown show, but it certainly ran through his mind, as well as the mind of the fire demon beside him.

"My name is in the account information. It should read on the top of the transaction page, Yamikio-san," Youko said calmly and almost innocently, though he had a sudden fear that something was wrong that definitely should have been right.

"Yes, but that's not your name," Yamikio said easily, leaning his chin down on his interlocked hands, propped up by his elbows. His eyes were daring and had perhaps doubled in the desire there.

Youko didn't like those eyes so he narrowed his own. "Sir, I do not know what you are talking about."

Hiei was very ready to kill the man before him, and everyone in that room for the matter, but refrained himself, not sure if this slave owner was merely playing around, most likely flirting, or if he was serious.

If it was the latter, they would be in serious trouble.

"Oh, I think you do," Yamikio whispered as the other demons in the room slowly moved so that they covered the exits of the room, but did so subtly enough that it went almost unnoticed by the two demons. "After all, I don't believe Youko Kurama's pride would allow him to use a false name."

The youko's golden eyes narrowed dangerously and he had a rose in his hand instantly, three more sent flying towards Yamikio, mere feet away. The slave owner, however, had been expecting such, and dodged two, the third barely cutting his cheek as he jumped from his chair.

By the time he landed on his feet, however, Hiei had all but exploded the room in a fiery rage, half of the office burning and almost every demon in the room prior was charred or being charred as they attacked. The two Reikai Tentai managed to get to the doors, Hiei kicking down the half burned wood and Youko managing to tumbled out of the room as a blast of chi fired off, killing two of the slave owners, and almost getting the fox demon.

"Well that didn't go as planned," Youko mumbled as he climbed to his feet, dusting his clothes off and running a hand through his hair. The wrist of that hand was grabbed, however, and he was hauled down the hall with a small yelp.

"Now isn't the time to be looking pretty, you vain fox!" Hiei shouted as he released Youko's wrist and the two ran down the halls, the latter smirking at his lover's response to his grooming.

Guards were soon behind them, and in front of them not long after, and by the time they killed all those that stood in their way, some were charging them from side hallways. Hiei was letting out all his pent in stress at watching other demons stare longingly or even proposition HIS fox.

Youko was hardly doing anything at all beyond jumping over the charred corpses, often nothing more than piles of spreading ashes. He wasn't sure whether to smile in pride of his lover or laugh in utter hysterics at the fire demon.

As a youko, he felt that his hiyoukai was taking the flirting far too personally and found it hilarious, but as his lover, he adored the protection and anger radiating off of Hiei.

They all but burst into the auction room, partially empty of the earlier customers, but they certainly caught everyone's attention as "burst" was not exaggerated. The door flew twenty feet across the room from the blast of fire accompanied by the latest guard's body that slammed into it.

"Plan B!" Youko shouted as they ran into the room. Everyone in the auctioning house stared at them in utter surprise, and they took the advantage to sprint through them without hindrance.

At the other end of the room, near to the exit, however, Yusuke and Kuwabara picked up on the shout immediately, understanding exactly what it meant. Kuwabara slammed open the doors, knocking one off the hinges yet again.

"Come with us, we're here to get you home!" Yusuke said to the man standing beside him and grabbed his wrist, but the man was not in shape to run. His body was beaten and battered, clothes and skin marred with cuts and matted with blood. Wrists and more importantly ankles were shackled in chains that very much hindered the running ability.

Youko was beside them within seconds. "Forget it, Yusuke. Just run!" he shouted as he picked the very surprised man up and threw him over his broad, strong shoulders. This was where his youko body truly came into use on this mission. As a half-human, he was physically weaker.

Hiei stayed beside his lover as Yusuke started ahead, joining Kuwabara about ten feet ahead of the two youkai tentai behind them. The two youngest Reikai Tentai used their forward position to take care of those that charged them, and Hiei took care of the crowd of demons that finally figured out they weren't there to buy slaves, leaving Youko to run with their charge on his shoulder.

Yusuke and Kuwabara made it out of the mansion like keep easily, the first guard at the entrance doors soon finding a spirit sword in his gut, and the second with a bullet through half of his head.

It wasn't exactly pretty.

Hiei and Youko weren't far behind, but a deep voiced shout paused their two companions who were already out of the main danger.

"Enable the wards!" Yamikio shouted from the auction room, which lead directly to the exit of the mansion.

Hiei was within five feet of the door, and Youko another eight or nine. The fox took one look and shouted to his lover. When the fire demon turned, he literally threw the poor human to his lover and shoved the surprised fire demon out the door seconds before the barrier raised, creating a shimmering wall between the two demons.

The hiyoukai almost dropped the human as he spun, only to see his lover locked in the mansion by a kekkai barrier. "No!" he screamed out, pounding a fist on the energy wall, but it acted as a solid warded force, burning his hand with the energy from which it was created. "Youko!"

"Run, you idiot!" the muffled voice came back, gold eyes urging him to leave. "I'll still be here, Hiei, now get him out of here!"

The fire demon glanced to the very confused and frightened human he had managed to throw over his shoulder rather than drop. Crimson eyes glanced back to the youko, who stood there all but yelling at him to run.

"I'll be back!" he screamed as he turned and used his demonic speed to vanish from the scene, the guards on the top of the mansion unable to shoot him down with their youki.

"Yeah," the fox whispered, watching his lover leave. "Don't be late."

With that, Youko turned back around with a calm tranquility that most would not have as they face an entire mansion full of angry slave owners, most of them just wanting blood or a piece of the youko. He did, however, draw his rose whip, which wrapped around him in a rather beautiful portrayal of power and danger.

But Yamikio strode forward, the crowd parting for him as he easily had twice the power of any of them. "Put that away, Kurama, you have nowhere to run."

"I have no desire to run, but I have no desire to be touched at the moment, either," Youko spoke with the same tranquility that he stood with, but his voice had a warning edge of ice in it. "Come near me and your arms will soon be detached from your body."

"How endearing," the slave owner responded with a smile. "But I wouldn't want a guest in my house to have to stand there the entire night. It wouldn't be comfortable, and as the host, that would be rude of me not to offer you a seat."

Youko's eyes widened as his legs suddenly buckled beneath him, and he landed harshly on his knees with a light gasp. The surrounding youkai laughed lightly, but were quickly silenced as Yamikio took a step forward.

If the slave trader had not had a great reaction time, he would have soon found his ankles several feet from his legs. As it was, he barely made the jump up to avoid the lightning fast rose whip and, when he landed, there was a definite glare of impatience on his face.

Youko, while not happy he missed but happy he managed to discourage the man slightly, was having a hard time moving. His legs would not shift from their seated position, and he assumed it was due to Yamikio's earlier words.

Whatever his power was, some form of physical manipulation through speech appeared to be the boundary lines of his abilities.

'_Damn it!'_ Youko screamed mentally. _'Why can't Koenma ever tell us our opponents abilities BEFORE a mission?!'_

Yamikio was still glaring, however, and he took another few steps. "Why don't you let go of that primitive weapon. Its beauty is not sufficient enough to be held by a youko such as yourself."

Youko swore twice as loudly within his mind as his hand automatically released the dull end of the vine-like whip, which transformed back into the most beautiful of roses.

He was still cursing himself by the time Yamikio picked up the flower and tucked it behind the fox demon's ear. Its blood red pedals contrasted sharply with his shimmering, silver strands, a picture of crimson beauty.

"There, it is so better suited in this form. Now stand up and follow me, we obviously have much to discus on your recent…destructiveness." Yamikio turned and walked through the snickering crowd, which parted for him and the youko who growled as his legs began walking without his minds consent.

Yamikio motioned with his hand as he started back through the body-strewn hallways, and two live guards, one partially injured from his encounter with a rather pissed fire demon, came to stand on either side of Youko. The slave owner moved passed his burnt office, which smelled rather horribly of smoldering flesh, and they moved on to a second room that was very much like the first, but lacked a desk and instead had the same rich, filler furniture.

"Center of the room, if you would, Youko," Yamikio instructed and the fox found himself frustrated beyond all reasoning as his legs obeyed what his mind screamed against. "Kneel down."

The guards snickered as the youko followed the instructions. Yamikio turned to them and motioned once more with his hands to the fox. Youko had a brief flash of uncertainty as they strode forward, unsure what Yamikio would have them do.

He couldn't say he was relieved when they only pulled out wards, but it could have been far worse, though the fox didn't believe Yamikio would let anyone else touch him first. The guards slapped the wards on him, one between his shoulder blades, one on his chest beneath his collar bone, and one on either wrist.

Youko's eyes widened as he immediately doubled over in surprise, the sudden feeling of weight added to him. Once more, he felt as if a thousand pounds rooted him to the floor, his back caving with the pressure applied to it and he could not straighten himself.

These wards were similar to Gama's paint at the Ankoku Bojusukai, and he was doubled over, his wrists all but glued to the ground with the five hundred pound weighted wards.

The last ward was placed carefully on the back of his neck, sealing his energy within him. It was beginning to look a little too much like the tournament, and Youko remember all too well how that round had gone for him.

Yamikio laughed at the surprised reaction from the fox and he motioned to the guards to leave the room. Youko had no problem hearing the snickers over what would happen to him as the two youkai left, likely to stand guard outside the door.

"There…you seem comfortable," the youkai slave trader said with a small hitch in his voice, as if trying not to laugh and failing horribly. He walked around the doubled over fox like a vulture prying his next meal. "Do you know how much trouble you've caused me?"

His voice was soft, distant as if he was not truly focused on the topic of the discussion and Youko feared what he actually was focused on. Of course, it wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last, but he didn't have to _like _it.

"Not as much as I will when my friends get here," he replied coldly, but still refined as a youko of his status should be.

"Ah, yes," the slave trader began, the touch of deft fingertips gracing over his back in featherlight touches. "Koenma-_sama_'s Reikai Tentai."

The tone of his honorific was less than friendly and downright sneering. The affliction of his voice suggested mockery, and while Youko did not love the junior lord by any means, he knew that Koenma was not a bad guy or a bad lord, and he felt somewhat angered by the disdain made to his name.

However, he had no time to object in any manner as the same tone was used once again, this time pointed directly to him. "Your _friends_," he mocked once more, though this time it was definitely more in disgust and disdain. A harsh knuckle was pushed against the bottom of his soft chin, forcing his face up to look into those cold eyes. "What makes Youko Kurama think he needs- no- _deserves_ friends?"

The fox looked at him harshly for that comment, eyes narrowed in an expression near rage. It should have shamed him to show such emotion over such a stupid concept to the demon world, but his human brother had taught him much. And one of the first things he learned after Yusuke saved his life was that friends were worth whatever humiliation they afforded you.

And right now that was a lot, but it was still worth it, no matter what. Besides, it wasn't like anyone else was in the room. As long as he murdered this youkai that dared to touch him, his pride could be restored…mostly.

"Oh that's right," Yamikio whispered, bending down in front of the youko, far too close to his face for the fox's comfort. "I heard you had gone traitor. Half-human?" he spoke mockingly again, but the Youko didn't let it affect him.

Yes, he was half human now, or would be again in five days. What did it matter? He originally thought it was a ridiculous insult to his pride, but that was the second thing he realized after he had met Yusuke.

He had never been happier in his entire life than he was with Shuichi.

And, according to humans, nothing else mattered. So why care if he was half human? He was that much happier, that much more loved, that much more everything.

"But…" the slave owner was still talking, tilting the youko's chin slightly to observe his face, as only one who dealt in the selling of demons could do. "I don't see any human in you, and I sense not a drop in your blood. What happened to your little counterpart?"

The tone was so mocking it appeared almost sweet or worried, sickening Youko to the core and angering him a whole hell of a lot more so. The fox moved quickly, pulling his face away from that knuckle and snapping his jaws. He almost got a finger.

"I left him at home," he answered after his attempted bite, which momentarily paused his captor, but didn't daunt him for long. A hand was soon gripping his chin this time, a tighter hold than just a knuckle.

"How sweet. Didn't want him hurt?" he asked, his voice that sickening soft tone again. Youko's eyes narrowed.

"Get your hands off me," he replied in indignation, rather than admit that yes, he had left him to avoid any injury to his human. He would never have agreed with bringing Shuichi to a place like this.

Yamikio merely chuckled and tilted his head once more. "Let me see that pretty face of legends," he said with a coy little smirk, observing the youko's pale, flawless skin as one who does a work of art or masterpiece.

Youko just glared and bit down on his tongue to keep from retorting, which is exactly the thrill Yamikio wanted. And such a vain and prideful fox would not give his captor what he wanted.

"Yes, you are beautiful," Yamikio whispered, his voice changing slightly to a huskier, longing tone that made the fox want to shiver in disgust. He released his chin to trail a finger along the youko's jaw line, turning his face slightly with each inch he moved up.

"You will fetch me a wonderful price, Youko. Far greater than the amulet that human would have gotten me," Yamikio proceeded to whisper as he removed his finger from the fox's jaw and pressed the pads of two digits just beneath the youko's eye, trailing them down the soft, smooth skin. "Or…perhaps I will simply keep you for myself."

The fox snorted, pulling his face away despite the strain it took just to move his body. "In your dreams, asshole."

The slave owner took no offense to the insulting name, and instead just laughed lightly as he moved his hands to the top of the fox's head, scratching gently at his large, silver fox ears. Youko found it hard to contain the moan that fought for freedom at the touch to a highly sensitive area on his body.

He managed to twist it into a growl, however, as his eyes that were partially slit at the pleasurable sensation, took in Yamikio leaning towards him. His golden eyes widened as a hand brushed between his legs and he tried to jump away, only managing a partial jerk backwards, but not enough to move on his knees.

"Maybe I should make my dreams a reality," the slave owner whispered (and in the back of his mind, Youko noted how Shuichi would have said that was the cheesiest line he'd ever heard) as that hand between his legs did more than just brush over him. The hand at his ears left and held his chin in place as lips were pressed to his, that hand groping him in a rather expertly fashion.

Youko fought to get away, his body straining under the wards, already taking as much pressure as he could at his half straightened position. The hand between his legs was creating a friction that sent waves of heat through him, and he fought the moan of pleasure at those unwanted waves.

It resulted in him wriggling to get away from the hand and that mouth, and it really only furthered the amount of friction. The hand on his chin tightened to keep their lips pressed together and with a painful tug he soon found a tongue in his forced-open mouth. The urge to gag at the kiss was something he had not felt in a very long time, and it only furthered the revulsion.

"Get away from me!" he managed to scream, breaking the contact and falling over from the extreme strength needed to move himself under the wards. He gasped slightly as he hit the floor, his legs free now from both Yamikio's trance-like words as well as a lack of wards on his lower body.

He kicked out harshly, his arms locked to the floor by the wards on his wrist as well as his chest and back that pressed him to the ground from a similar situation. The kick got Yamikio in the face, as the youko was quick enough to still catch him by surprise.

The slave owner and temporary captor of the fox cried out as he was shoved back, his face stinging sharply from the force of the kick. "Bastard!" he screamed, quickly scrambling back up and punching the downed youko.

The fox held back the hiss at the punch directly to his cheek , forcing his head to the side and the opposite cheek to smash into the floor. His legs were rendered useless as his thin hips were pinned beneath Yamikio's strong thighs. The slave trader straddled the fox, pushing his shoulders down and pressing his lips once more to the fox.

The kitsune tried to buck his hips but, for all his demonic strength and well muscled body, Yamikio simply had more strength and a higher position, giving him the advantage. Sharp nails pressed into the skin of either of his revealed shoulders, his tunic having no sleeves.

Youko managed to rip his lips away from the hypnotic demon, cracking his neck slightly with the force he pulled away. He kicked his legs in attempt to buck his hips, bracing his feet on the ground and shoving up, but Yamikio just smirked and thrust his hips downwards in reply.

The kitsune gasped and closed his eyes in a horror filled anger that bordered between repulsion and arousal. He fought against the latter since, once more, it was exactly what Yamikio wanted. Not to mention, this was a betrayal to his mate.

After all, if a kitsune actually managed to settle down and take a mate, which was rare enough, they were dedicated life partners.

"Get off me!" he screamed out, his deep voice rising to a partial shriek as Yamikio thrust against him once more. Those hands that dug into the flawless skin of his shoulders slowly retracted, instead moving down his tunic, running those nails over his chest and eliciting shivers from the fox. "Don't touch me!"

Yamikio just smirked and rocked his hips again, moving his nails down to the fox's waist, where his thin hip bones raised his skin in a sensitive, arousing area which was paid full attention to. "But your body is clearly enjoying it."

Youko screamed out in pure rage and drew his knee up harshly. It practically ripped his leg out of its socket in attempt to move beneath Yamikio's hips, but he crashed his knee successfully into the slave owner's lower spine, forcing him to cry out in pain and surprise.

The fox was prepared for the next punch, but it still hurt like hell, and his head bashed once more into the hard floor beneath him, making spots flash before his golden eyes. With his vision blurred and the hands moving on him in a much more aggravated, vengeful manner, he kicked his legs again and again, desperately trying to throw the man off of him, but to little avail.

Yamikio was sliding the fingers of one hand under the fox's waistband, gripping the cloth to pull the fox's pants down when a shout sounded from outside the room, followed by two harsh cries, and a very intense wave of heat.

It signaled the arrival of a relatively late fire demon.

-o-o-o-

Now see, wasn't that fun?

I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I miscalculated the length of this chapter. My favorite part spans this chapter and the next one, mostly because the next chapter just has a little fun humor in it.

Very little, but it's worth it.

**Author's Notes**:

_…the only thing youko failed at in comparison…_ Is it youko or youkos? The latter looked sort of funny so I chose the first.

Same goes for kitsune. I don't think it's kitsunes, as Japanese plurals don't work the same as English plurals.

…_runaway slave can not be charged for if killed in an attempted escape…_the owner can't make the killer pay, since the youkai killed a slave that was running away.

_Ankokuna Bujusukai_ - Dark Tournament

Well, I think that's it.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! If you'd be kind enough to take a minute out of your busy schedule and just drop off a review, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks, and see you next chapter!


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